An Air Data System (“ADS”) provides sensed telemetry informing pilots, navigators or Vehicle Management System computers of air parameter(s) affecting aircraft stability. These air parameters include, for example, air speed, air temperature and air pressure, each being useful for navigation and flight control. The ADS exists in many forms, for example, as mechanical, opto-mechanical or opto-electronic devices.
An Optical Air Data System (“OADS”) uses light to determine parameters of air speed. The OADS transmits light pulses into the atmosphere and receives light that aerosols reflect or “backscatter” towards the aircraft. Aerosols are fine solids and/or liquid particles suspended in air or other gases. The OADS may also measure the Doppler effect by receiving backscattered light and measuring its return frequency to determine speed. Certain prior art OADSs rely on scattered light that is unpredictable because of aerosol distributions that vary significantly with altitude and cloud content. In addition, some regions of the atmosphere contain too few aerosols to enable reliable air data measurements, and such an OADS cannot determine air temperature or air pressure.